Ukrainian drones hit southern Russian refineries, Azov port

Ukrainian drone strikes Friday hit southern Russian oil refineries and the port of Taganrog on the Azov Sea, where authorities declared an emergency and evacuated some residents, officials said.

Kyiv has beefed up its efforts in recent months to hinder Moscow’s financial capabilities in its war against Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure in retaliatory strikes and causing a nationwide fuel shortage.

Russia’s defense ministry said its forces downed over 370 Ukrainian drones, including over the Moscow region.

In the port of Taganrog, near occupied Ukraine, social media videos showed plumes of smoke rising over the city.

Local governor Yuri Slyusar said he visited the port after “massive” night-time strikes.

“Efforts to extinguish the fire of petroleum products at the seaport are ongoing.”

Slyusar said several dozen of the city’s residents had been moved to temporary accommodation.

“I told them frankly: unfortunately, it will not be possible to extinguish this type of fire quickly,” he said.

Earlier Slyusar said drones had hit two “oil storage facilities” in the town of Azov.

In the neighboring Krasnodar region, authorities said drones caused a fire at the Ilsky oil refinery.

Authorities reported no casualties.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that the Ukrainian strikes are causing a fuel shortage and said they are aimed at dividing Russians.

US President Donald Trump, asked about Kyiv’s strikes during a meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week, appeared to endorse the campaign.

“It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that can help lead to an end,” Trump said.

Kyiv says the strikes are fair retribution for Russia’s more than four-year barrages on Ukraine and that it is a bid to force Russia to the negotiating table.